Excavation Permit
Construction & Manufacturing edition
Controls ground works and trenching, including soil/benching limits and the confined-space link for deep excavations. Medium Hazard edition — editable Word document with its permit form built in. Choose your state at checkout.
What this permit controls
Controls ground works and trenching — locating and isolating buried services, soil assessment, benching/battering/shoring, and the confined-space link for deep excavations. Enforces controls before digging begins.
Typical work covered
- ✓Trenching for services (water, gas, electric, comms)
- ✓Foundation excavation
- ✓Pit and shaft excavation
- ✓Horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
- ✓Vacuum truck and pothole work
- ✓Service location and proving
Hazards this permit addresses
Each hazard is identified on the permit form with the controls that must be in place before the issuer signs.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Electrocution, gas explosion, flooding, service outage.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Burial and asphyxiation.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Struck-by, burial.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Wall destabilisation, drowning.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Crush by bucket or counterweight.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Atmospheric hazards (gas pockets, low O₂).
What the permit form includes
Editable Microsoft Word form. Yellow cells are the only ones you complete on a typical job. Sections:
How to use this permit
Dial-Before-You-Dig in advance. Locate, mark and prove services with vacuum truck or hand-dig before machine excavation.
Determine shoring / benching / battering based on soil class and depth. Get sign-off from competent person on the design.
Edge protection, ladders, warning, lighting. Brief crew on the trench safety rules.
Machine excavate to depth. Pre-entry inspection. CSE permit required for entry below 1.5 m if egress is limited.
Backfill, restore services, remove all controls and warning. Sign close-out.
Frequently asked
What format is it in?
Editable Microsoft Word (.docx) with its permit form built in. Bracketed [fields] mark where to add your business name, ABN, site details and authorising officers.
Which jurisdiction do I get?
You choose your state at checkout (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT or NT). The document references the Act, regulator and code of practice in force there — Victoria on OHS, the rest on harmonised WHS.
Is it cheaper in the pack?
Yes — the Medium-Hazard Pack bundles 10 documents for $1,825 with a 15% saving. Buying singles is best when you need only one or two.
Do I still need review?
Yes. This is a starting-point template; customise it to your site and have a competent person review it, in consultation with workers, before issuing live permits.
A Permit-to-Work Management System supplied as editable Microsoft Word documents, built to comply with the harmonised model WHS laws and Victoria's OHS Act 2004. Compliance is achieved by implementing and maintaining the system and having it reviewed by a competent person, in consultation with workers, for your site, plant and personnel; final responsibility under the legislation remains with the PCBU. Licensed for use within the purchasing organisation only. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the vendor's liability is limited to the price paid.